Publicity: The Right Way for Marketing-Minded Financial Planners to Follow Up with a Reporter

Written by Ned Steele

Let's say you've called a reporter with some ideas for stories about financial planning, and they seemed interested. Congratulations! First, pat yourself on back. It takes intelligence and gumption to come up with ideas that reporters like.

Next, consider how you are going to follow up. Reporters are usually working on several stories at once, and unless they are coming to meet you today, there's still a considerable chance that it will fall through cracks. You need to try, without being annoying, to keep that story at front of their mind.

If your call went great and reporter’s interested – tell her you’ll send something by fax or email to summarize what you discussed. Whether you send a fax or email, keep it brief and on point. Don’t use it to raise new topics – close one deal first!

Marketing-Minded Financial Planners, It's Not Who You Know But What You Know

Written by Ned Steele

Almost every day, I hear same question, over and over, from motivated, well-meaning financial planners who want to use publicity in their marketing mix. It goes something like this:

“Who do you know in media? (Or, sometimes they frame it as, “Who do I need to know in media?”) Can you get me publicity?”

My answer is always same. Who you know in media is only half game. And it’s easier half.

Because here’s what you get with who you know in media:

It gets them to take your phone call, or your e-mail. Period. That’s it.